Modular PhDs - Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

[Martin]

Southern Baptist Theological Seminary now has a wonderful way to earn your PhD: via modular courses...

Check it out:
http://www.sbts.edu/phd/modular-format/

I hope Southeastern starts some modular PhD programs. Since I teach full-time I can't get to Kentucy in the winter but I could get to Wake Forest, NC.

Martin.

 

[preachinjesus]

It's a growing opportunity and one, when handled properly, that benefits both student and institution.

When I did my PhD I moved to a campus and was a residential student. I also was able to pastor in the area and made a generous salary. Too many of my peers struggled financially. That was a downside for a residential program. However, with the growth of modular PhDs there are a lot of opportunities to live elsewhere and be more financially viable. This is a good thing.

Besides, most people I know rarely used their study carrols at the library. They did their work at home or in the library...then home. So long there is appropriate professorial interaction I think these are great programs.

There is just something that doesn't beat having two or three...or for many four...years of daily interaction with senior faculty.

 

[mont974x4]

My bride and I both earned our BA's entirely online. Hers was through University of Phoenix and mine through Nazarene Bible College. Her courses were 3 credit hour classes crammed into 5 weeks. Mine were 3 credit hour classes crammed into 6 weeks. You would get a week off and then start the next class. I used the VA's VocRehab program and had a time limit so I doubled up on my classes.

Each class had a lot of reading and weekly papers. They had discussion questions to answer as well. In order to get credit for attendance and participation you had to post at least twice on (I think) 4 separate days. The posts had to be substantial. Your initial answer to discussion questions did not count towards participation, but did count for attendance.

Like any school (for the most part) you get out of it what you put into it. Also like any school, some prof's are better than others. The good ones dialogued with you in the discussions and were prompt in responding to emailed questions, etc. Others....well, didn't.


We are fully into the digital age as a culture. That means schools are going to have to fully embrace these ideas if they wish to survive.

 

[Greektim]

The problem w/ SBTS (and likely SEBTS) is that the modular PhD concentrations are not the biblical studies/NT/OT/theolgy that most are interested in. I'm pretty sure that SEBTS has PhD modules, but again it is for leadership degrees and such. Not the biblical/theological studies that modulars are just difficult.

However, I know SEBTS will offer modular classes in the summer. For example, I took a PhD class at SEBTS on the Sermon on the Mount (so it was a Greek and advanced NT studies class). But I think that was just a special summer class w/ a visiting prof from SBTS (Pennington). But I think it is impossible to finish your studies doing only modular stuff if you are bib or theo studies concentration.

Maybe in the future this will be more of the norm.

 

[Jeep Dragon]

My bride and I both earned our BA's entirely online. Hers was through University of Phoenix and mine through Nazarene Bible College. Her courses were 3 credit hour classes crammed into 5 weeks. Mine were 3 credit hour classes crammed into 6 weeks. You would get a week off and then start the next class. I used the VA's VocRehab program and had a time limit so I doubled up on my classes.

Each class had a lot of reading and weekly papers. They had discussion questions to answer as well. In order to get credit for attendance and participation you had to post at least twice on (I think) 4 separate days. The posts had to be substantial. Your initial answer to discussion questions did not count towards participation, but did count for attendance.

Like any school (for the most part) you get out of it what you put into it. Also like any school, some prof's are better than others. The good ones dialogued with you in the discussions and were prompt in responding to emailed questions, etc. Others....well, didn't.


We are fully into the digital age as a culture. That means schools are going to have to fully embrace these ideas if they wish to survive.

Nice. I finished a Doctor of Management/Information Systems and Technology (DM/IST) from University of Phoenix. It was mostly online with week residencies during the summer. It's not Bible, though. :thumbs:

 

[Martin]

The problem w/ SBTS (and likely SEBTS) is that the modular PhD concentrations are not the biblical studies/NT/OT/theolgy that most are interested in.

==SBTS's modular PhDs are not in Biblical studies. However they do have a concentration in Apologetics & Worldview, a concentration in Christian Philosophy, and a concentration in Christian Ethics. So they do have some really good programs.

NOBTS has a strong online Biblical Studies program. They have online graduate certificates in the Biblical Languages, in Greek, in Hebrew, History, etc.

I'm pretty sure that SEBTS has PhD modules, but again it is for leadership degrees and such. Not the biblical/theological studies that modulars are just difficult.

==I checked and you are correct. They offer several PhDs in the "modified residency format". However, and on this point you are also correct, the concentrations are in leadership and missionology. Nothing I am interested in for sure.

Sadly, it is my impression that SEBTS is "behind the curve" when it comes to online programs.

I would love to jump into the PhD program at SBTS. However their residencies are during the regular Spring semester (I teach).

 

[Martin]

My bride and I both earned our BA's entirely online.

==Congrats. I'm working on earning 18 graduate hours in political science online through American Public University. It is a great deal of work but well worth the effort. If it were easy I would be upset...

We are fully into the digital age as a culture. That means schools are going to have to fully embrace these ideas if they wish to survive.

==This is very, very true. Sadly too many theological schools have dragged their feet on the changing face of higher education. It may not show right now, but if these schools don't "catch up" they will fall behind. Schools that right now are strong may, in five to ten years, struggle because they refuse to move forward with technology. Sad.

 

[gb93433]

Southern Baptist Theological Seminary now has a wonderful way to earn your PhD: via modular courses...

Check it out:
http://www.sbts.edu/phd/modular-format/

That kind of program has been around since the late 60's and early 70's. Some colleges and high schools were already doing that then.

 

[RG2]

==This is very, very true. Sadly too many theological schools have dragged their feet on the changing face of higher education. It may not show right now, but if these schools don't "catch up" they will fall behind. Schools that right now are strong may, in five to ten years, struggle because they refuse to move forward with technology. Sad.

As it has been said many times in other threads, it is not the schools that are holding up the transition. It is ATS.

 

[StefanM]

I think it's a good step to take for leadership-focused roles. I'm not sure it's the best method for training academics, but those in administrative roles or pastoral roles could benefit.

I would be very interested in pursuing this kind of degree, but the residencies are a deal-breaker. I work for a Christian university, and I simply don't get enough vacation days to take advantage of this program. 4 weeks a year is a lot of time.